I don't usually quote Kamal Shatila (a buffoonish Nasserist politician in Lebanon), but today he made a very good point. He said that Hariri Inc is engaged in political takfir. He added that this will only invite sectarian and religious takfir, and that those takfiri groups will wind up turning against Hariri Inc. Did Sadat not think that he was manipulating Islamic fundamentalist groups? You don't read about this in the Western press, but there are really Bin Ladenite characters on the side of Hariri Inc--especially in North Lebanon and Biqa`. (To be fair: there are also Bin Laden fans on the side of the opposition. Fathi Yakan (who led the prayers of the opposition last Friday, had expressed admiration for Al-Qa`idah).